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FENCE LOOM.

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n ATTORNEY' N PYERS. Phowlllhognpber. Wshingan. D. C.

4 Sheets Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

0. S. BOCKER.

FENCE LOOM.

' N0. 4l6,392, Patented Dec. 3, 1889.

S, 3 m W A NOR/VH N. PETERS. Phwlo-Lilmgmnhnr. Washingmm DV C (No Model.) 4 Smets-sheet 3. 0. S. BOCKER. FENCE LOOM.

No. 416,392.l

Patented Dc. 3

WITNESS/S8.'

N. PETERS, Phdwuewgnpm. wlmmgwn. D.' a

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

o. 5300MB.

FENCE LOOM.

Patented Dec. s'. 18am vATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR S. BOOKER, OF TOQUERVILLE, UTAH TERRITORY.

FENCE- LOOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,392, dated December 3, 1889.

(No model.)

vproved fence-loom for making combined picket-and-wire fences, which will be hereinafter fully describedand claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side View of my improvement.

Figi) is a top plan View thereof. Fig. 3 is a front view of the same. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on line 4 4, Fig. 2. Figs. 5, 6,

and 7 are detail views of the twister-spindle and spool-carrier. Fig. 8 is a detail View hereinafter referred to. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the tension device. Fig. l0 is a detail view of Winding-shaft. Fig. ll is a detail view hereinafter referred to.

The same numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention more particularly consists in a machine for making combined picket-andwire fences, in which the wires between which the slats are secured are fed through hollow twisting-spindles fro In. spools mounted in spool-carriers which are connected to and revolve with the spindles, sa'id spindles being arranged to be rotated in opposite :directions, according to Whether a continuous or a reverse twist is desired.

My invention further consists in devices for forcing the pickets firmly in place and holding them there while the wires are being twisted, and in devices for allowing pickets of different thicknesses and also of different lengths to be employed, according to the nature of the timber obtainable or desired.

, My invention further consists in a device for regulating the space or distance between the pickets and in a device giving a perfect tension to each wire used.

My invention further consists in a reel which winds up the fence in a compact form for market, in a registering device which registers the amount of fence manufactured, in a device for winding lthe wire from a reel onto the spools, and in further new and useful improvements, which will be hereinaftf`- clearly set forth.

Referring to the several parts by their design ating-numerals, l, 2, 8, 4:, and 5 indicate the several parts of the supporting-frame of my machine. Upon the three top cross-pieces 3 of the frame are mounted in bearings 6 the revolving spindle 7 7 n and spool-carriers 8 8. Three of the spool-carriers 8, I place back, where they revolve between the rear and middle cross-pieces 3, and the alternate three spool-carriers 8 are placed forward, turning between the middle and front cross-pieces 3. By this arrangement I am enabled to use a much larger spool holding a great deal more wire than if the spool-carriers were placed side by side, as will be readily seen, saving considerable time in stopping to take out empty spools and replacing them with full ones, and thus cheapening the cost of manufacturing the fence.

The spool-carriers 8 and 8 have at their rear ends short axles 9, which turn in the bearings 6, and the forward carriers 8 are directly secured at their forward open ends to the rear -ends of their spindles 7 1, while the rear carriers S are connected at their forward open ends to their spindles proper 7 by the spindleframes Sb, so that the carriers revolve with the spindles. In each spool-carrier two spools l0 l0 are secured, being placed side by side on pivot-bolts ll. The upper and lower sides of the carrier are each formed with a plain and a threaded hole, l2 13, respectively, and the bolts 1l, the ends of which are threaded, are screwed into the carrier by applying awrench to their square heads, one bolt passing in from the upper and one from the lower side of the carrier, by which arrangement it will be seen that, as the spools are revolved by the wire being` drawn from them the bolts tend to tighten instead of workin g loose. Each of the spindles, except the one at the right-hand side of the machine, has a gear-wheell secured upon it, these geanwheels intermeshing, as shown, and the rear axle 9 of one of the rear spool-carriers 8 is extended and has a crankhandle 15 upon it, by which the spindles are revolved, or they may be driven by any desired power.

length; but the hollow spindles 7 have an "innerbpremnd-iameterpfjeven inches, while the other spindles 7 have anhinsuide diameter 10o' The spindles 7 and 7L are all of the same length of picket used in the fence.

fence is to be made, a gear-wheel19 is secured on the front end of the right-hand spindle 7 and a similar gear-wheel 2() is secured on the front end of the extra spindle 7 at the righthand side of the machine, and a small traveling pinion 2l is placed on a shaft 22 between and meshing with the two gear-wlieels 19 20. It will be seen that two, three, four, live, or all six of the revolving spindles with their spools can be used to make a fence of from one and one-half to five feet in height. Each spindle has a separate tension device, which gives an independent tension to each of the two wires passing tlirongli it. This device consists of a lower plate 23, having the curved boss in its center formed with a threaded aperture, by means of which this plate is bolted centrally to the inner side of the spindle-cap by a bolt 25, as shown. Upon the upper side oi' this plate 23 is attached a plate 26, curved up at its Acenter to conform to the curvature of the central boss of the plate 23. Bolts 27 pass down through the two plates midway between their center and their ends, as shown, and the Wires from the two spools of each carrier run between these plates on either side of these bolts, according to how far apart the wires are to be, as hereinafter described, and the tension is regulated by screwing up or down nuts 28 on the lower threaded ends of the bolts 27. In operation, the spools being secured in the carriers by the bolts 11, the wires pass from the spools through the tension devices, and then through two of the apertures 29 in the spindle-caps. These apertures are formed three on each side of the central bolt 25 of each spindle-cap and permit the spreading or bringing closer together of the wires, according tothe size or thickness of the pickets which are to be woven between the wires.

30 indicates a cross-bai', the upper side of which is formed with the transverse grooves 3l opposite the centers of the spindles. This crossbar is movable and forms the picket carrier or pusher, the picket when placed between the wires resting upon it and being held upon it while the wires are twisted, the lower wires resting in the grooves 31. The cross-bar 30 has a movable gage-block 32, having a set-screw 33 passing through a longitudinal slot 34 in the bar 30, so that the stop can be adjusted on the bar to suit the To the rear side of the bar 30 are bolted stops 35, the bolts of which pass through openings 36 in the eross-bar 30, so that these upwardlyprojecting stops can be moved along the bar 30, according to the length of the slats or height of the fence. l

Through the inclined side pieces 5 of the machine-frame passes a rod 37, one end ot which is bent up to forni a handle 3S, and this rod has two upwardly-extending arms 39, the free ends of which are pivoted to short arms 40, which project out from the front of the bar 30. The bar 30 rests and slides upon side pieces 4l, which are formed with the end slots 42, through which pass the bolts that secure these side pieces to the uprights 2 of the machine frame. By loosening these threaded bolts the side pieces can be raised or lowered, thus raising or lowering the bar 30,' according to the size or thickness of the pickets to be woven into the felice. Upon the side pieces 41 is movably secured, by setscrews passing through its end slots 44, a cross-bar 43, to the rear edge of which are pivoted the stop-rods 45. The lower ends of these stop-rods are pivoted to a rod 4G, the extended end of which is bent into a ring for the hand. low their upper ends, so that the said ends project far enough above the table or bar 43 to stop the fence when a picket comes in contact with them, as hereinafter described. This bar 43, with the swinging stop-rods, is raised and lowered with the bar 30 by the raising and lowering of the side pieces 41, on which they both rest.

On the extended front ends of the inclined side pieces 5 of the machine-frame are mounted in bearings two short shafts 47 47, each of which has on its inner end a small U-shaped casing 48, open at one end, and having a removable pin 49 passed through said end.

To one of the uprights 2 is pivoted nearits lower end a hand-lever 50, to the lower end of which is pivoted a stirrup 51, in which are pivoted the rear endsof connecting-rods 52, the forward ends of which are pivoted to the outer ends of levers 53. These levers 53 are centrally journaled on the short shaft 47 to each side ot a ratchet-wheel 54, which is secured upon the shaft 47. The inner bent ends of the levers 53 have pawls 55 55 pivoted in them, which engage with the inclined teeth of the ratchet-wheel, the rear end of the lower pawl 55a beingweighted to hold itspoint up in engagement with the teeth of said wheel.

56 56 represent two bars or rods which constitute the body of the reel, around which the completed fence is wound. The ends of these rods are placed in the casings 4S and the pins 49 run through the apertured open ends of the casings, holding the rods in the easings.

In operation, the wires passing out through the spindle-caps, the endsot' each pair of wires are twisted together. Then the side pieces 41 are raised or lowered to raise or lower the bars 30 and 43, according to the thickness of the picket, a picket having been placed between the wires, so that the wires The stop-rods 45 are pivoted be.

IOO

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beneath the picket rest easily in the grooves 31 of bar 30, the picket resting upon the bar 30 with the stops 35 Vbehind it. Twowires, which it is not necessary to here show, are then fastened to this picket and then to the reel-rods 56. The operator then works the lever 50 back and forth with one hand, when it will be seen that the pawls 55 55 will alternately engage with the inclined teeth of the ratcliet-wheel 54 and revolve it and the reel continuously in one direction. The operator works the lever 50 until the picket is stopped by coming in contact with the upper ends of the' stop-rods 45. Then by turning the crank-handle 15 the wires are twisted and the picket thus secured. A second picket is placed between the wires and the handle 15 turned to twist it in, care being` always taken to have one picket in contact with the stops 45 before placing another between the wires on the bar 30 to be twisted in, the spaces between tlie pickets being thus gaged, and the bar 43 can be moved back and forth by loosening the set-screws passing through its end slots to regulate the distance between the pickets. Two pickets havingbeeii thus woven in, the rod 46 is pulled, swinging down the upper ends of the stop-rods 45 to enable the first picket to pass over them as the hand-lever 50 is worked, as before, winding the fence as built upon the reel. y has passed over, the stops 45 are permitted to swing up and stop the second picket when it reaches them. The handle 38 of the rod 37 is then drawn back, sliding the bar 30 toward the spindles, when another picket is fed in between the wires and the handle 38 pushed forward, when the stops 35 of bar 30 will press the picket forward against the twisted wires and hold it there while it is twisted in by turning the handle l5, as before. The same number of turns should be given the crankhandle 15 between each picket. When enough fence has been made to reach to the reel, the two wires which connect the first picket to the reel are cut and removed, and the first picket is passed between the two rods 5G and held by replacing the pins 49. Vhen the desired amount of fence has been made and wound on the reel, the fence-wires are cut so as to leave enough fence on the machine to reach to the reel, so that the first picket of the next fence-roll can be at once placed between the reel-bars. The roll of fence being cut, the ends of the wires of the cut roll are fastened to the roll, the two pins 49 49 are drawn out of the open ends of the casings 48, and the roll turned until the open ends of the casings are down, when the roll drops out. The rods 5G are then turned with a wrench and drawn out and their ends replaced in the casings 48 and the pins 49 replaced.

It will be seen that in my reel neither the ratchet-wheel nor any other part of the mechanism is removed to take out the roll, it merely being necessary to pull out the pins When the first picket' 49, when the. roll falls to the ground clear of the reel.

To ascertain the amount of fence. in each roll on the reel, two small grooved rollers 57 are used, one being removably keyed on the short shaft 47 n and the other revolving on a short stationary shaft 58. One end of atapeline 59 is secured to the roller on the shaft 47, and the remainder of the line is wound around the other roller. As the reel winds up thefence the shaft 47 of course carries the roller 57 around with it and winds the tape off the other roller around the reelroller, thus automatically registering the amount of fence made and wound upon the reel. Vhen one roll of fence is completed and removed and another is about to be wound on the reel, the rollers 57 are taken off their shafts and reversed, by which arrangement the empty roller lls itself from the full one each time they are reversed.

To the side of the main inachine-frame is secured a frame 60, in which is mounted the gear-wheel (51, which meshes with a pinion 62, which has a point or projection 63, and a removable bolt 64 passes through the center of the pinion. The empty spools are placed on this bolt with the projection 63 of the pinioii stuck into the end of the spool, which is thus made to revolve with the pinion. The gear-wheel is revolved by hand by a crankhandle 65, and the wire is thus wound from an ordinary wire-reel upon the spools, which are then ready to be placed in the spool-carriers. A traveling pulley 66 can be. placed on a stationary shaft 67, with a projection 68 on it sticking in that end of the spool, when a band can be placed around the pulley and the device run by any desired power.

The nuts on the bolts of the tension devices can be loosened or tightened separately, giving each wire a perfect and separate tension. By turning the drive-crank in either direction the wires can be given eitliera continuous or a reverse twist.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isn 1. In a fence-leoni, essentially as described, the twister-spindles consisting of a box-like casing, the wire spools journaled therein, the journals of said spools consisting of headed bolts having screw-threaded ends, said ends alternately engaging the top and bottom Walls of said casing, whereby'said casing is held together, a stub-journal, as 9, formed on one end of said casing, a centrally-apertiired disk, as 17, forming the journal for the opposite end ofsaid casing, said disk provided with an outwardly-proj ectin g cap-plate provided with wire-passages projected from said disk, and a power-gear, as 14, removably secured upon said disk, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with the revolving twister-spools provided with a projecting cap IOO IIO

portion having a series ot wire-passages 29 2f) in its vertical wall 7, of a tension device consisting of a plate :23, having a horizontal screw-aperture adapted to be secured to the inner side of the wall 7"L adjacent its wire-passages by the screw 25, a rigid cap-plate 26, adjustably secured upon the said plate 23, and the screws and bolts 27 28, for securing said adjustment, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of the revolving spindles having the intermeshing gear-wheels 14, the eXtra spindle having the smaller gearwheel 20, the wheel l), seeured upon the spindle 7, the intermediate pinion 2l, mounted ou the shaft 22, and the spool-carrier oonnected to and revolving with the spindles, substantially as set.- forth.

4. The eombination,with the revolving spindles and spool-earriers, of the sliding bar 80, having the adjustable rear stops 35 and front arms 4U, and the transverse rod 37, having the handle 3S and upwardly-extending arms 39, substantially as set forth.

5. rlhe combinatiomwith the revolving spindles and spool-Carriers', of the sliding bar 30, formed with the transverse grooves 31 and having the rear stops 35 and frontA arms 40, and the transverse rod 37, having the handle 38 and arms 39, substantially as set forth.

6. In a fence-loom, the oombinatiomwith the revolving spindles and spool-carriers, of the movable cross-bar 43, the stop-rods 45, pivoted to the same, and the rod 4G, pivoted to the lower ends of the stop-rods, substantially as set forth.

7 The Combination,with the revolving spindles and spool-carriers, ofthe movable bar 30, having the stops 35, the movable bar-l3, having the stop-rods, and the side pieces 4l., supporting the said bars and formed with the end slots, and the threaded bolts passing through said slots, substantially as set forth.

8. In a fence-loom, essentially as described, the combination, with the reel-shaft 47 and the ratchet-disk 54, ixedly secured thereon, of the arms 53 53, loosely journaled on said shaft., the lower arm 53, provided with a gravity-pawl 55 at its upper end, the upper arm having a gravity-pawl 55 at its lower end, said pawls engaging the ratchet 54, a lever 50, pivoted to the frame of the machine, provided at a point below its pivot with a stirrup 5l, arms 52, pivoted at one end to the said stirrup, the outer ends connected to the extremities of the arms 53, whereby the movement of the lever 50 in either direction will cause the reel-shaft to rotate in a continuous direction, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. ln a fence-loom, the combination, with the revolving reel, of the grooved rollers 57, adapted to be keyed on the shaft 47 and loosely mounted on the shaft 53, substantially as set forth.

OSCAR BOCKER.

Witnesses:

DAVID KAY, R. J. TAYLOR. 

